Chaeles behlen



v (no Model.)

G. BEHL'EN, J'r.

Vehicle.

Nb. 235,494. Patented Dec. 14,1880.

' C zmlasgefil a 2.

a STATES PATENT Orricn.

CHARLES BEHLEN, JR, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO GEORGE MOERLEIN, OF SAME PLACE.

. VEHICLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 235,494, dated December 14, 1880.

' Application filed October 14,1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES BEHLEN, Jr.,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Gincinnati, Hamilton county, Ohio, have inven ted new and useful Improvements in Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in vehicles, particularly in respect to the spring and running-gear, whereby a lighter, stronger, and less costly vehicle is produced and other advantages secured, as hereinafter more fully pointed out.

It consists in a novel construction of the spring-gear and connecting parts, and in the arrangement of the same with respect to the body and running-gear of the vehicle, and also in the construction of the vehicle as a whole, as and 'for the purposes hereinafter set forth.

My invention is embodied in mechanism shown in the accompanying drawings, the parts being indicated by letters of reference corresponding with those in the specification.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of the front part of a buggy showing my improvement. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a detached view in two posi' tions of the bracket for supporting the body of the vehicle upon the springs. Fig. 4. is a side View of a modified arrangement of the springs and of the supporting-bracket. Fig. 5 is a plan view'of the fifth-wheel, and Fig. 6 is a vertical section of the same.

A in the drawings represents the body of the buggy or other vehicle to which my improvement is applied; B B, thesprings; C O, the brackets for supporting the body of the vehicle upon the springs, and D D strengthening-braces.

The springs B B, of which there may be one or more, are single bows, being secured between the brackets 0 0, and curved over and beyond their pivots, so as to accommodate the end thrust in their, ordinary action.

The bracket 0 (shown in Fig. 3) consists of an arm terminated at one end by a plate, 01, provided with screw-holes for fastening the same to the bottom ofthe vehicle-body, and at the other continued into two parallel jaws,

c 0, between which the springs are pivoted. 0 The springs are preferably in duplicate, arranged one above the other, separated by a block, 6, at the center, and secured upon the fifth-wheel by suitable bolts or clips f f. This arrangement secures a proper vertical movement and support of the vehicle-body, and a compact and strong structure of the springgear, braced against fore and aft strain by the braces D D.

As a modification of the mode of using the spring-gear, the duplicate springs B B may be arranged in the same horizontal plane, separated as far as may be convenient, and connected with the vehicle-body by braces E E, as substitutes for the brackets O and braces D, 6 and having both springs mounted on one pivot at each, end, all as shown in Fig. 4..

' Several advantages arise from this form of spring-gear over the ordinary style of such constructions. In the first place the vehiclebody may ride much lower upon the axles, which is very much to be desired in phaetons and buggies, as affording easier access in ordinary use. The springs used in this way are stronger, and may therefore be made lighter, because of better distribution of the strains and the degree in which they mutually strengthen each other as compared with the double bow or elliptic springs in ordinary use.

Another important advantage is that the perch maybe entirely dispensed with, which not only economizes cost and weight but enables the forward wheels to turn beneath the vehicle-body much farther.

These improvements result, as a whole, in a lighter, stronger, more compact, and far more durable vehicle than those in common use, without sacrificing any of the advantages of the ordinary spring-gear.

The fifth-wheel (shown in Figs. 5 and 6) is 0 constructed as follows: The lower circle-plate,

Gr, is somewhat larger in diameter than the upper one, H, the latter being held to its seat by lugs I, retained upon the lower circle-plate by screws or bolts. The cleats I, of which 5 any number may be .used, are cast to shape, and are removable at pleasure. A king-b0] t,

K, may or may not be used. In other respects 2. In combination with the body of a springvehicle, the supporting-brackets G, and spring or springs B B, mounted as shown. for the I5 purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing the construction and connection of the parts are substantially the same as in ordinary \ehicle construction.

Having described my invention, 1 claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination, with the body and axles of avehicle,ofthe single bow-springs B B,supwitnesses.

ported at their center and nrran ed parallel to each other, transverse to the body of the CHARLES BEHLEN Witnesses:

JOHN GoETz, J r., 11. M. HOsEA.

vehicle, and having their ends connected with stantially as described. I 

